The mainstay of treatment for the vast majority of intestinal and visceral malignancies has been “radical” resection of the tumor via laparotomy. In the past decade an alternative abdominal access method, namely laparoscopy, has been utilized, by some, for the curative resection of malignancies. This use of minimally invasive methods remains controversial because of the lack of long-term studies and concerns about port wound tumors. Early results from randomized trials comparing traditional to laparoscopic-assisted colon resection for cancer have shown that an adequate minimally invasive oncologic resection can be done (Milsom, J. W., et al.). Numerous experimental studies have demonstrated that laparotomy, when compared to CO2 pneumoperitoneum or anesthesia alone, is associated with increased rates of tumor establishment and growth (Shiromizu, A., et al.; Allendorf, J. D., et al., 1995; Southall, J. C., et al.; Lee, S. W., et al., 1999). Similar results were noted after open and closed bowel resection (Allendorf, J. D., et al., 1998). Tumor cell proliferation was shown to be increased and apoptosis decreased after laparotomy in a murine study (Lee, S. W., et al., 1998). The mechanism of these tumor growth differences has also been investigated. Laparotomy related inhibition of immune function may account for some of the observed differences in tumor growth after surgery (Allendorf, J. D., et al., 1999; Da Costa, M. L., et al.). Laparotomy associated elevation of circulating active protein substances, such as VEGF may also play a role (Pidgeon, G. P., et al.). In an animal study that assessed the ability of pre- and postoperative mouse plasma to support tumor cells in vitro, significantly greater growth was noted in cultures to which post laparotomy serum (from postoperative days 2 and 4) had been added (Lee, S. W., et al., 2000). It was postulated that a surgery-related plasma factor accounted for the differences observed. In another study done with the same model, the factor was identified as platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) (Lee, S. W., et al., 2001)